the hi-end doctor
are you an audiophile who owns a good hi-fi or a hi-end system?
If so, do you know that a perfect setup can incredibly enhance the sound and performance of your system, regardless of its price and components? Just moving the speakers, adjusting your listening position, or properly introducing a top subwoofer makes a world of difference!
You should know that, even if completely ignored by magazines and hi-end "gurus", a large part of any system's final sound relies on the acoustics of the listening room and how it is set up.
It's easy to verify that the same hi-fi system can sound different depending on where the speakers are placed or if moved to another room. This occurs because the original sound from the speakers is modified by its interaction with the environment. As a result, this interaction shapes the final sound heard at the listening point.
Therefore, a professional setup with electronic instruments is paramount to flatten as much as possible the frequency response at the listening point. This is a necessary and sufficient condition to get as close as possible to the original sound of the source and to be able to use the adjective "hi-fi" for the system in question. Otherwise, the system behaves like another musical instrument, with all that entails. Indeed, most audiophiles don't realise they possess an expensive musical instrument instead of a hi-fi system!
A perfect setup can also mitigate, and sometimes even fix, the speakers’ intrinsic flaws, which are very common regardless of price.
For these reasons, the setup of a system in its room is essential, especially today, as the latest generation of so-called "hi-end speakers", aiming to justify their unreal prices, are tragically becoming larger and larger. They are often placed in rooms of normal or small dimensions, which is a huge error that must be avoided from the outset. If such a mistake occurs, it must be corrected (or at the very least minimised) through a highly professional and somewhat challenging setup.
To implement this essential recommendation, audiophiles must finally realise that solving sound problems requires technical and effective interventions, instead of incredibly expensive (and often absurd) accessories that offer little more than placebo effects and primarily benefit the retailer. Take the bull by the horns and have the problems thoroughly addressed by a skilled technician equipped with a spectrum analyser!
Moving from a casual or flawed setup to a perfect one can result in such a profound transformation in sound that it feels like you've replaced the entire system!
are your speakers proportionate to the dimensions of the listening room?
When purchasing a pair of loudspeakers, the most important factors to take into account, besides their sound, are the size of the room where they will be placed and their potential positioning within it. I recommend avoiding floorstanders for small or medium‑sized rooms, especially if they would be forced into corners or placed close to walls. These speakers are acceptable only in large rooms, where they can be positioned well away from corners and boundaries. For medium or small spaces, it is essential to choose systems made up of compact speakers on stands combined with one or more subwoofers. Such systems also have the advantage of being fully tunable, even if placed in less‑than‑ideal positions.
However, choosing the right speakers based on these principles is indeed crucial, but it's only the first step. Once a preliminary placement in the room is decided, each speaker or system must be moved, customised and finely tuned to achieve the flattest possible frequency response at the listening position.
sound perfection is not correlated with the price
Have you ever read in a hi-fi magazine that some very expensive "big boy's toy" is a joke and sounds ... not so well (to put it mildly)?
The simple answer, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is NEVER. This fact should prompt some reflection, as it's far from reality! Audiophiles who read and trust hi-fi magazines have been subliminally taught to believe in a putative hi-fi equation: "the higher the price, the better the equipment, and consequently its sound".
Well, ... nothing could be more misleading and subject to debate!
In my professional career, I have auditioned numerous audio systems with price tags ranging from tens to even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Honestly, all I can say is that I feel deeply sorry for the "poor" (metaphorically speaking, of course) owners!
With just a fraction of what they spent (more accurately, squandered) on absurdly overpriced equipment, they could have bought genuinely good gear (quite possibly better‑sounding) at a "humane" cost, which, combined with a proper setup, would have delivered a far superior listening experience!
So, stop assuming you've nailed the perfect sound just because you spent a fortune. In theory, it could happen by chance, but in 54 years, I’ve yet to see it!
you could also be an unwitting victim of "setup crimes"
While visiting audiophiles to check their systems, I have often encountered setups that can only be described as "outrageous". These are the result of the glaring technical unpreparedness of the staff at so-called "hi-end temples", who were tasked with delivering and setting up the newly purchased, expensive systems.
To help you grasp this alarming reality, I’ll share the two emblematic cases below.
More than twenty years ago, I met a man of incredible musical culture. Calling him “music addicted” is an understatement: classical music is an essential part of his life, soul, and only religion. He rarely misses concerts around Auckland and often travels overseas for a “good one” or Wagner’s Ring Cycles! When I met him, he had a system worth around $125K, featuring American speakers as costly as a mid-range SUV. Each speaker consisted of a large bass cabinet with two passive woofers on the back and a separate, pyramidal, omnidirectional unit for the mid-high frequencies positioned on top of the bass cabinet. The speakers were bi-amplified with two very costly amplifiers (tubes for the mid-high and solid-state for the bass), connected to the speakers via “elephantine” cables. However, upon listening to the system, I immediately noticed that the bass sounded "weird", with a feeling of inconsistency. As I always do in these cases, I connected the spectrum analyser and the “pink noise” generator. The instrument revealed that the frequency response of the bass range produced by the passive bass units (audaciously and outrageously referred to as "subwoofers" by the manufacturer) was very strange, yet familiar in a way I recognised. So, I followed up on my hunch about the possible cause: I disconnected and removed the mid-high units and turned the bass units upside-down to check the connections (it seems that placing the binding posts on the back panel, rather than underneath the heavy cabinets, was beyond the manufacturer's “humanity”!). As suspected, I found that the "technician" who set up the system had connected the so-called subs in phase opposition. Please believe me, even if it sounds incredible! I corrected the "negligible" mistake, and obviously, the bass improved. But when I later gave the owner the chance to audition a pair of serious speakers with built-in real active, electronically controlled subwoofers at one-ninth the cost of his speakers, he was stunned! So stunned that he asked me: "how can they sound so well? They are very cheap compared to mine"! To which I replied: "that's no wonder at all, but the appropriate question, if anything, should be whether it's plausible that a pair of speakers could cost as much as a nice car"! Faced with incontrovertible evidence, he suddenly realised that in hi-fi, price and sound perfection are not related! Not being a hi-fi lover but a seeker of real sound, he followed my recommendations without hesitation. He replaced not just the speakers but also the tube amp (after using the prototypes for six months, he bought and still enjoys the sachem monoblocks serial number 001), along with everything else necessary to achieve “the Sound”. He trusted me completely, and after a perfect setup of the new equipment, he was rewarded with the sound he’d always dreamed of (with a total cost less than one-sixth of his old system’s price). A further great and enjoyable outcome has been that we also became very close friends! This second instance involves a system worth around $250K, featuring high-end English electronics (not the stuff of my dreams, even if each component was priced at about the cost of the "usual" nice car), paired with the same brand and model of speakers previously mentioned. This time, the “professional” who had set up the system positioned the speakers very close to the back wall and didn’t consider the listening point, which was in the very middle of the room. The obvious result was a disgusting bass range. By moving the speakers one metre forward and the listening position about three metres back, the spectrum analyser revealed a notable improvement. The sound transformation was evident, with a cleaner bass range and improved mid-high frequencies as well. However, the owner didn’t agree to replace any part of the system because he had to move to another country soon. Although I managed to enhance the system's overall performance, achieving "the Sound" proved impossible due to the limited potential of the components, despite their exorbitant cost. Well, these are just two examples of a “pathology” that, believe me, is far from rare. The alarming truth is that, throughout my five decades of hi-fi journey, I’ve come across an incredible range of flawed (and sometimes downright hilarious) setups, often in good company with technical “errors” and “horrors”! So, be aware that you might find yourself "swimming in the same waters" too! Therefore, to ensure that no "setup crimes" have been perpetrated against your system, I strongly recommend having it inspected by a highly qualified professional. While you're at it, take advantage of the opportunity and ask them to perform an instrumental setup of the entire system as well: I'm confident you will find it was well worth it!
More than twenty years ago, I met a man of incredible musical culture. Calling him “music addicted” is an understatement: classical music is an essential part of his life, soul, and only religion. He rarely misses concerts around Auckland and often travels overseas for a “good one” or Wagner’s Ring Cycles! When I met him, he had a system worth around $125K, featuring American speakers as costly as a mid-range SUV. Each speaker consisted of a large bass cabinet with two passive woofers on the back and a separate, pyramidal, omnidirectional unit for the mid-high frequencies positioned on top of the bass cabinet. The speakers were bi-amplified with two very costly amplifiers (tubes for the mid-high and solid-state for the bass), connected to the speakers via “elephantine” cables. However, upon listening to the system, I immediately noticed that the bass sounded "weird", with a feeling of inconsistency. As I always do in these cases, I connected the spectrum analyser and the “pink noise” generator. The instrument revealed that the frequency response of the bass range produced by the passive bass units (audaciously and outrageously referred to as "subwoofers" by the manufacturer) was very strange, yet familiar in a way I recognised. So, I followed up on my hunch about the possible cause: I disconnected and removed the mid-high units and turned the bass units upside-down to check the connections (it seems that placing the binding posts on the back panel, rather than underneath the heavy cabinets, was beyond the manufacturer's “humanity”!). As suspected, I found that the "technician" who set up the system had connected the so-called subs in phase opposition. Please believe me, even if it sounds incredible! I corrected the "negligible" mistake, and obviously, the bass improved. But when I later gave the owner the chance to audition a pair of serious speakers with built-in real active, electronically controlled subwoofers at one-ninth the cost of his speakers, he was stunned! So stunned that he asked me: "how can they sound so well? They are very cheap compared to mine"! To which I replied: "that's no wonder at all, but the appropriate question, if anything, should be whether it's plausible that a pair of speakers could cost as much as a nice car"! Faced with incontrovertible evidence, he suddenly realised that in hi-fi, price and sound perfection are not related! Not being a hi-fi lover but a seeker of real sound, he followed my recommendations without hesitation. He replaced not just the speakers but also the tube amp (after using the prototypes for six months, he bought and still enjoys the sachem monoblocks serial number 001), along with everything else necessary to achieve “the Sound”. He trusted me completely, and after a perfect setup of the new equipment, he was rewarded with the sound he’d always dreamed of (with a total cost less than one-sixth of his old system’s price). A further great and enjoyable outcome has been that we also became very close friends! This second instance involves a system worth around $250K, featuring high-end English electronics (not the stuff of my dreams, even if each component was priced at about the cost of the "usual" nice car), paired with the same brand and model of speakers previously mentioned. This time, the “professional” who had set up the system positioned the speakers very close to the back wall and didn’t consider the listening point, which was in the very middle of the room. The obvious result was a disgusting bass range. By moving the speakers one metre forward and the listening position about three metres back, the spectrum analyser revealed a notable improvement. The sound transformation was evident, with a cleaner bass range and improved mid-high frequencies as well. However, the owner didn’t agree to replace any part of the system because he had to move to another country soon. Although I managed to enhance the system's overall performance, achieving "the Sound" proved impossible due to the limited potential of the components, despite their exorbitant cost. Well, these are just two examples of a “pathology” that, believe me, is far from rare. The alarming truth is that, throughout my five decades of hi-fi journey, I’ve come across an incredible range of flawed (and sometimes downright hilarious) setups, often in good company with technical “errors” and “horrors”! So, be aware that you might find yourself "swimming in the same waters" too! Therefore, to ensure that no "setup crimes" have been perpetrated against your system, I strongly recommend having it inspected by a highly qualified professional. While you're at it, take advantage of the opportunity and ask them to perform an instrumental setup of the entire system as well: I'm confident you will find it was well worth it!
a professional is as good as his tools and skill
To properly set up a subwoofer, find the optimal position for a pair of speakers, or address the overlooked (but crucial) issue of different sound emission between the left and right speakers when placed with varying backgrounds (refer to the third article on the school of hi-fi page), a spectrum analyser MUST be used. It's essential for visualising the sound and seeing what happens to the frequency response when you change something or move a speaker.
For a serious audio technician, this instrument is as useful as a CT scan machine for a doctor! Despite that, the discouraging reality is that audiophiles trust "doctors" (actually, "shamans") who don’t even have a stethoscope and prescribe aspirin (yes, but packaged in gold foil) to cure cancer! It’s sad, but this is the plain reality of the hi-end audio market, where the lack of technical and sonic foundations reigns supreme. This happens not just in NZ but worldwide (exceptions are always possible and welcomed).
I don’t know of any shop or "esoteric temple” in New Zealand equipped with a spectrum analyser, but I hope I’m just misinformed. However, I must point out that merely owning a spectrum analyser is a good start, but not enough. Indeed, this is where the operator's expertise comes into play. He must know the correct way to use it, accurately interpret what it reveals, and also be able to take the proper steps to fix the problems it identifies.
Developing this skill takes years of practice and a solid knowledge of acoustic physics. After 54 years, it's incredible how I still sometimes discover something new and unimaginable!
here is where I can provide an essential service
The knowledge I’ve gained over a lifetime in service to its majesty "the Sound", ensures sound advice on how to significantly enhance any audio system. Ridiculous and overpriced accessories (the “aspirins” wrapped in gold foil) produce, at best, minimal results. Therefore, audiophiles must ultimately realise that the Sound is not a questionable religion, but is governed, always and without exception, by the strict laws of physics and acoustics! I'd like to share the advantages of my extensive experience with audiophiles eager to improve their systems’ sound in simple, effective ways.
My consultancy is very reasonably priced (far less than an esoteric accessory), and I only accept payment if the audiophile is completely satisfied with the results. However, I must honestly point out that while I can always enhance the sound of any system, achieving the Sound is impossible if the room's acoustics are prohibitive and/or if the system's components lack potential. I'd love to, but I don’t perform miracles yet! Sorry!
some might perceive me as arrogant
Because of my distinctly "Italian way" of approaching the topics on this page (more direct than the typically reserved Kiwi style), you may question my credibility, perhaps assuming I’m just another one of the many charlatans who populate this market. If so, I invite you to visit the testimonials page and read the comments.
Indeed, by reaching out, you truly have nothing to lose, but potentially much to gain!